


Ambitions

by LyrebirdSong



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Parent-Child Relationship, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-09
Updated: 2020-05-27
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:14:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,097
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22641646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LyrebirdSong/pseuds/LyrebirdSong
Summary: Thoros Nott was an old, bigoted wizard with a good head of hair, all his own teeth, a vast fortune and a son who seemed utterly disinterested in producing grandchildren.Join Nott Sr on his next great endeavour. And with this one, he is determined to succeed.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Theodore Nott
Comments: 37
Kudos: 156





	1. Chapter 1

Thoros Nott was an old, bigoted wizard with a good head of hair, all his own teeth, a vast fortune and a son who seemed utterly disinterested in producing grandchildren.

His son rarely spoke to him anymore, not that he’d been a particularly verbose adolescent – the boy had a gift for succinct statements that hinted at  _ something _ – but Thoros had known the boy since infancy and could read his son’s body language, not exactly like a book, but the metaphor worked for Thoros’ purposes.

And Theodore’s body language said that  _ something _ had changed recently, but without the accompanying words Thoros couldn’t say what, precisely, had changed.

Thoros decided that the day his house arrest ended he would find out.

Because he would not tolerate having to wait any longer for his grandchildren, and he would do his best to ensure those grandchildren had the most potential for magical greatness.

-~-

Lunchtime on the Saturday after Thoros’ house arrest ended found the man somewhat amusedly watching his son twist his signet ring and glance at the clock.

“Who are you escorting to this event tonight?” Thoros finally asked, watching his son carefully.

“Nobody,” the boy replied.

“So, they didn’t give you a plus one? That’s quite the faux pas, what  _ is _ the world coming to?”

“No, they did, father,” the boy replied somewhat hurriedly, “It’s a fundraising ball sponsored by the firm and there was no one of my acquaintance whom I could bring who wasn’t already invited.”

Thoros saw the unintentional opening and took it.

“Wonderful,  _ I _ wasn’t invited, I will patronize this event and attend with you,” he said, hiding a grin as his son blinked deliberately for a moment, before adding, “My invitation must’ve got lost in the mail. What is the dress code for such an event, Black Tie Robes I assume?”

He watched as his son swallowed and then answered in the affirmative.

Later, as they waited for the invitational portkey to activate, Thoros questioned the garish orange boutonniere adorning his son’s robes.

“ _ What _ is that?”

His son looked down at his chest before replying, with perfect unconcern.

“It’s a flower.”

Thoros snorted as the portkey activated and whisked them away.

-~-

Thoros was pleasantly surprised by the décor and entertainment as he stood at the top of the stairs that lead to the bar in  _ L’Abeille’s _ ballroom. His son, standing stiffly beside him, responded in monosyllables as he made comments about the guests, the canapes, the specialty cocktail and the overall ambiance.

The boy appeared to be doing his best to  _ not _ look like he was looking for someone.

“Theo, you’re here!” Came a feminine voice and Thoros watched his boy pale and then colour before greeting their guest.

“Hello Granger, good to see you,” the young woman –  _ Granger _ – smiled at Theodore before catching sight of his lapel.

“Oh, Theo, a marigold,” she exclaimed, grinning, “Did you know that that’s my favourite flower?”

Thoros smirked as his son made a non-committal noise.

“And look,” she continued, “We match!”

Granger pointed at a flower that was nestled somewhat precariously amongst a nest of artfully arranged curls.

“A happy coincidence,” Theodore replied. Thoros decided that he needed an introduction with this woman.

“Ahem,” he said, causing Theodore to stiffen in muted surprise, “Aren’t you going to introduce us?”

“Of course, Father, may I present Miss Hermione Granger,” came the wooden reply, “Miss Granger, my father, Thoros Nott.”

“A pleasure to meet you, sir,” The girl held a hand out.

“The pleasure is mine,” Thoros replied, taking her hand and bowing over it, “Tell me, Miss Granger, how do you know Theodore?”

“Oh, Theo has been so helpful in helping me navigate the Ministry’s politics and get the requirement for mandatory representation by an advocate for those standing in front of the Wizengamot. Did you know that they just sent people to Azkaban when they are awaiting trial? That’s not conducive to good mental or physical health – especially in the event of their innocence. And the ministry was set to persecute some  _ underage _ Slytherins as though the whole war was their fault, you know, and some of their family representatives just left them hung out to dry. Didn’t want to ‘fight a losing battle’, one told me. He won’t be getting hired by any of the purebloods  _ now _ , will he? Either you’re a defense lawyer or you are not, you don’t get to be choosy. I couldn’t let that go on, muggles have had some form of court appointed defense for ages - there is no reason why wizards and witches shouldn’t!”

“You seem very passionate about this, Miss Granger,” Thoros noted.

“Well, injustice just  _ bothers me _ , it always has, and I won’t let the Ministry rest on its laurels and go back to bad habits where it just throws people into prison without a trial and forgets about them. Also, deliberately turning prisoners insane and threatening their very souls is barbaric and probably against the Geneva Convention…” She trailed off, “Theo does the ICW prosecute war crimes? My understanding is that they are similar to the United Nations, do they have a version of The Hague?”

“I’d have to look into it Granger, maybe it could be our next project.”

“I could also help you, Miss Granger,” Thoros noted his son’s sudden furrowed brow and decided that he wanted to get to know this ‘Granger’ person in more detail, “I will ask Theodore to set up a meeting.”

Theo interrupted cleanly, “Granger, would you do me the honour of joining me for the first set?”

Miss Granger smiled and took his hand but not before Thoros was able to cut in with “The  _ first _ set, Theodore?” to which his son stonily replied, “Of course.”

A chat with Lucius Malfoy as the two young people danced and socialized (well, she did the socializing,) illuminated Thoros to specifically  _ who _ Hermione Granger was to a certain dark lord.

“Yes,” the blonde dandy continued, “and the girl has an almost ridiculous sense of justice – this little project of hers is just the tip of the iceberg. Not that I am complaining, mind you, Draco came out of that unpleasantness  _ quite _ well due to her and her little friends, let me tell you. And it is fun watching her tear into the so-called light families even as she berates and scolds the dark ones. The girl is loyal to a fault, you know, I think if Dumbledore hadn’t planned for, ahem,  _ you know _ , to kill the boy then she would have stayed unendingly aligned to the light.” A sigh. “She  _ is _ undeniably a Gryffindor, though, disgustingly so, but she does have a remarkable aptitude for blackmail and revenge. It’s a shame about her… heritage. We could have molded her into a useful ally. Oh well, the wheel turns, and we will be on top again.”

Thoros didn’t think so, too many half-bloods were marrying into the old families, too many old families with unacceptable or worse,  _ unremarkable _ heirs.

Thoros was determined that his family would be apart from the wheel, always above, always at an advantage.

-~-

“Join me for a nightcap, Theodore.”

It was not a request and the two men made their way into the master’s study and sampled an old brandy.

“You want her, Potter’s muggleborn,” Thoros said, eyeing his son whose head shot up in surprise, “Oh don’t look so surprised, you danced the first  _ and _ the supper set with the girl. You  _ want _ her. I’ll help you get her.”

“She’s not a thing, father, you can’t just pick her out of a crowd and take her home,” the boy was emoting,  _ interesting _ , “And she’s not  _ Potter’s _ anything. She is her own person who -”

“Yes, yes,” Thoros interrupted, having made up his mind, “But you can’t just gaze forlornly at a woman or spend time in her general proximity and have her fall in love with you.”

“What would you know?” Theodore mumbled into his glass.

“As much as those romantic writers would like to believe, bottling up your feelings until they explode in a sudden confession of adoration is not attractive,” Thoros continued, and then narrowed his eyes, “And I know, because I am observant and have female relations. That and your mother thought it was terribly amusing to have eavesdropping charms linking her parlor to my study when her sisters and acquaintances came to visit.”

“Mother did that?” Theodore perked up with interest.

“Yes, she hated her relatives, why do you think she married me? I was her father’s rival in the Wizengamot and she pursued me relentlessly. She wanted to marry someone more powerful than your grandfather, someone who wouldn’t care that she was not a ‘proper lady’ as she termed it.

“ _ Her _ grandmother was a Greengrass and they have some peculiarly restrictive views on how witches should behave. She took perverse joy in making her parents uncomfortable and she found most of the women of her age and status tedious. She made me listen to their conversations so that I knew what she was laughing at later. She especially hated the talk of their babies,” Thoros sighed, “Until you came along, that is, she was in  _ awe _ of you when you were born. And she was so proud when you cut your first tooth before the Malfoy boy. She gloated for weeks.”

There was silence for a few moments.

“But, back to your Miss Granger, you are in danger of vomiting your feelings all over her and she will think that your entire acquaintance has been a ploy to get under her skirts.”

Thoros noted the boy’s cheeks redden slightly.

“I am going to give you some honest advice, you may choose to take it or not. Granted my ideas haven’t always panned out in the grand scheme of things, but this is based upon several decades of investigation, so to speak.”

Theodore nodded.

“The next time you see Miss Granger, say ‘Miss Granger, I quite enjoyed working with you over the past year - or however long it has been – and I find that my feelings have evolved beyond that of just colleagues,’” Thoros paused, “This shows that you haven’t been deceiving her, which Gryffindors loathe by the way, and then add ‘If you think you might feel the same way, I would like to meet up with you in a non-work environment, are you free this Saturday for dinner?”

Theodore was clearly paying attention.

“There are a few responses she may have,” the older man continued, “One, most ideally, she says ‘Yes’, you take her to dinner, have good conversation, organize another and begin courting her with the aim of marriage. Two, she says no, but it is  _ how _ she says no that counts. If she says No, it is, regrettably, a no, however, she may say, ‘No, I can’t do Saturday’  _ and then suggests another time. _ This is why you have to provide a particular day, it stops the muddying of the whole suggestion of courtship. Either way, she will continue thinking you are a gentleman and will not provide the experience as fodder for the society pages.”

Theodore looked thoughtful.

“Of course, you’ll have to make the words sound like you and not your father.”

Theodore sniffed and rose, “If I may be excused, father, I’ve had a rather long day.”


	2. Chapter 2

Another event, another tedious conversation with Malfoy.

“Your son is certainly making his interest clear, Nott,” The son in question was presently ‘dancing’ with Miss Granger, if one could call swaying from side-to-side dancing, “Any one would think that you were happy to have the future of your line sullied by muggle blood.”

“And your son, how is he?” Nott frowned, “last I heard he was swanning about with a half-blood.”

“Draco is just sowing his wild oats, he knows what is expected of him.”

“And Theodore knows  _ exactly  _ my feelings on the matter of the future of the Nott line,” Thoros observed his son, “I am gratified that the Malfoy family wishes to concern itself with our future, but I can assure you, Theodore and I have everything in hand.”

Theodore had in fact returned from some meeting or other several weeks earlier and stated that “Miss Granger was amenable to my suggestion” and then left his father’s study for some unknown section of the manor.

As far as Thoros could tell, Theodore’s courting efforts would soon bear fruit. If the way that Miss Granger was smiling up at his son was any indication.

Theodore had mentioned that Muggle courtship was quite different to that of the Wizarding world.

As far as Thoros could tell, they had been to the theatre and dinner, multiple times – it didn’t seem to be that much different at all.

-~-

“No, Mipsy, I shall take my meal in the breakfast room with my son. He must have some bizarre reason for taking it there. I shall have my meal and then rest for a few hours. International travel is exhausting for anyone and my portkey was arranged ridiculously early – prepare a bath and my rooms for me for after the meal.”

“Yes, Master Nott sir,” the creature twisted its hands in its tea towel anxiously for half a moment before popping away to do complete its master’s orders.

Thoros strolled to the breakfast room with  _ The Prophet _ and sat at the head of the very well-appointed table in confusion – his son usually preferred a spartan breakfast after years of the heavy breakfasts provided by Hogwarts.

He had just finished loading his plate when two figures shuffled into the room, one yawning behind her hand and the other running a hand through his hair.

He smiled into his tea cup before putting it back on its saucer with no little noise – drawing a gasp from the shorter of the two.

“ _ Good _ Godric! Mr. Nott,” Miss Granger said, a little shrill, before smacking her partner’s arm “Theo! You said he wasn’t going to be here today.”

His boy displayed impeccable manners and led her to a seat and loaded her plate with what Thoros assumed to be her favourites.

“I assure you, he was expected home this afternoon,” Theodore glanced at his father, “I assume the portkey was rescheduled.”

Miss Granger buried her face into her hands, frizzy hair flopping over her face effectively obscuring her from view.

“Good morning Theodore, Miss Granger,” Thoros finally said.

This statement was followed by a ‘good morning’ from his son and a mumbled  _ something _ from the girl who was pulling the borrowed dressing gown tighter around herself.

They continued to eat in silence for a time.

“Well, I am going to retire for a few hours. Miss Granger, it was a pleasure seeing you again. I expect I’ll be meeting your parents sometime soon. Theodore, I expect you in my study later today.”

He turned to leave and then added, “And Miss Granger, you do look fetching in Slytherin green, I am sure that my son can have a dressing gown made to your specifications if you enjoy wearing his, the sleeves are a tad long I noticed,” before exiting the room and standing behind the door.

“Theodore Nott, you stop laughing this instant,” a female cry was heard, “I mean it, Theo, that was absolutely  _ mortifying _ ,” a mumbled voice, “Well of course he’s terrifying, he’s  _ your _ father,” some more mumbles, “Well, if last night is any indication I’m sure you could make me feel better,” a few more mumbles and then silence followed by a gasp that had Thoros re-entering the room to retrieve his strategically left paper.

Thoros had intended to interrupt again and embarrass them further however, the sight of his son’s mouth moving over the girl’s neck while one hand snaked into her clothing and the other gestured at him with a shooing motion had him leaving the room at no little speed.

His son’s smug expression later as he informed his father that they would be meeting Miss Granger’s parents for afternoon tea at Claridge’s – a muggle establishment – in London the following Saturday made Thoros scowl outwardly and smirk inwardly.

_ Muggle courtship was quite different, _ indeed.


	3. Chapter 3

Tea with the Granger's had been a revelation.

The muggles had managed to turn afternoon tea into a most exclusive affair and Claridge's was all crisp white linens and delightful sweet and savory confections. 

Thoros was certain that no one of his acquaintance had matched tea with food before and was determined to discover just what was in the house blend that made it so… Thoros was at a loss for words.

Mr Granger appeared to have good taste insofar as his attire conveyed, and Mrs Granger's hosting skills were pleasant enough.

Thoros decided that it would not be too much of a hardship to keep up appearances once his sons courtship of their daughter reached it's inevitable conclusion.

-~-

The wedding adhered strictly to tradition, the bride had never looked more beautiful and the groom seemed pleased enough with his choice.

Of course, Narcissa Black would not have done any less than given her son the perfect wedding, even if Astoria insisted on adding several undesirables to the guestlist.

At least, that’s what Lucius was telling him.

“The Greengrasses are a very acceptable family,” the man was saying, “We were very pleased with negotiations, Draco wrote a particularly generous settlement, so they were happy that their daughter would be taken care of.”

Thoros hummed non-committedly as he watched the receiving line.

“That Granger girl seems pretty set on your boy,” Lucius continued, “I must say, I was surprised to see her name on his acceptance note as a plus one.”

“Well, they do enjoy attending events together. Miss Granger appears to enjoy learning about Wizarding Traditions,” Thoros replied, watching as the woman in question exclaimed over the bride, “It is important for her to learn about our customs if she is going to insist on bullying the Wizengamot into changing policy.”

“And Theodore seems keen to help her,” Lucius replied, “Well, she is rapidly rising as they say, I am glad that Draco managed to get her to put aside their petty differences in school so that they could work together.”

Thoros almost snorted at the other man’s phrasing, petty differences indeed. He’d been informed about her experience here at Malfoy Manor after she’d started hyperventilating when Theodore had gently informed her of the location of the Malfoy nuptials only to see that she insisted on attending anyway.

Miss Granger was currently spending the day very determinedly cheerful, to the clear (to Thoros) worry of his son.

Later that evening in one of the drawing rooms at the Nott Estate saw the man and his son watch his son’s interest draw in a shaky breath and swallow a perfectly measured snifter of brandy. She straightened and replaced the stopper on the decanter.

“Do you know, that they changed the carpet in the drawing room and repaired the chandelier? Apparently, it was an antique and couldn’t be replaced, Mrs Parkinson told me,” she said with perfectly level intonation, “Theo-love, I am going to go take a bath now. I’d rather not be disturbed and do tell Pansy’s mother that her conversation was most enlightening next time you see her.”

The girl left the room taking the decanter and snifter with her, her heels clacking against the marble tiles as she entered the foyer before disappearing up the stairs.

Thoros looked at his son who was drawing a hand through his hair and muttering under his breath.

“Bloody Griffindors, having to prove everything…” “Should’ve left her at her parents’…” “Bloody nightmares again…”

“Mipsy,” a pop, “I need you to bring a purging potion, dreamless sleep, calming draft, hangover potion and blood replenisher to my room and then leave us for the rest of the evening. I may ask you to bring us a very small  _ mild _ meal later if she feels like eating.”

“All that, son?”

“Who knows what she’ll need… She has scars that… reopen, sometimes… Potter’s fiancée told me that it tends to happen after moments of severe emotional distress.”

“Hmmm, very good, let me know if you need me to call a healer.”

Theodore nodded distractedly and left. Thoros watched him stride off purposefully to take the stairs two at a time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I truly appreciate all the feedback given so far, and hope you enjoyed this update.


	4. Chapter 4

Thoros didn’t really know what to think when his son began spending his waking hours in the dower house of all places.

The building had been in no small amount of disrepair after Thoros’ mother had died accidentally when setting fire to the place with flammable liquids and a cigar.

The woman had  _ not _ been happy to be removed as mistress when Thoros became engaged.

So what Theodore could be doing there was baffling, indeed. But, Thoros decided to leave his son to his eccentricities and instead turned his attention to what he could do to further his son in ‘popping the question’ as one Mr. Granger so charmingly put it one evening.

Thoros was surprised at the gentile manners of the Grangers. Apparently, Mr. Granger came from ‘old money’ and rebelled against his parents by marrying a ‘hippie’ and attending 'dental school'.

Whatever that was. 

If their wedding portrait was anything to go by, Mrs. Granger would probably have been good friends with someone like Persephone Montague, who married into the Lovegood family.

Either way, Mr. Granger hadn’t lost his appreciation for the finer things in life despite his seeming departure from his family's social sphere. The two men would occasionally share a very fine muggle cognac whilst discussing their respective offspring.

“He appears to be doing up the Dower House  _ himself _ ,” Thoros mentioned to his unlikely friend one evening, “I found a pamphlet of construction spells and home enchantments the other day – he’s not even hiring contractors.”

“The Dower House, you say,” Mr. Granger replied with furrowed brows, “Hermione Jean hasn’t mentioned anything about it. Do you want me to ask her?”

“No, that’s not necessary,” Thoros replied, “It is a puzzle, to be sure, but that boy has always kept his plans close to the chest.”

“Ha! Hermione Jean is the complete opposite,” Mr. Granger laughed, “Woe betide the one who gets in the way for that girl! Young Theodore’s plans are not so close to his chest now, though.”

Thoros raised a brow and waited.

“Now, this is strictly between you, me and this hideous doily,” Mr. Granger gestured to an admittedly ghastly piece of decor, “Young Theodore has asked me for a moment alone, today, after dinner.”

Thoros leant back in his chair and took a considered sip as Mr. Granger eyed him significantly.

“Hmm, it’s about time. Though one has to wonder how long it will take for him to take action on the results of that particular conversation.”

Mr. Granger laughed, refilled their glasses and toasted to their children’s inevitable happiness.

Theodore did in fact leave the table grey-faced to attend something with Mr. Granger and returned with a small smile and considerably more colour to his cheeks. The difference was so profound that Mrs. Granger asked if he was feeling quite alright causing Miss Granger to peruse his person with a frown, only causing the colour to deepen further.

The boy continued to perversely evade Thoros’ questions regarding the Dower House to Thoros’ frustration, even when he invited Bill Weasley of all people to help with some kind of problem solving.

-~-

It seemed once Theodore had the father’s approval he wasted no time in asking Miss Granger if he could have the honour tlof her becoming the future Mrs Nott.

Thoros was determined to have a say in the event but the boy stubbornly seemed determined to wait to actually ask the question. Not to mention that the eldest Weasley offspring was arriving and spending all hours at the dower house. Theodore 'popped the question' to Miss Granger during a decadent picnic in the burnt out husk of the building's conservatory.

Thoros had to admit that it was somewhat romantic in a somewhat Gothic way. He had seen his son's gestures to the rest of the dower house and her excited hug and still had no idea what his son's plans were for the hideous building.

But Thoros now had a new problem to contend with. While it was true that the muggleborn Miss Granger was magically powerful, not to mention the fact that she was gifted intellectually and had a strong, proper sense of loyalty. Thoros hadn't considered that her having rather modern views on justice, pre-marital relations and attire would also extend to post-marital activities.

Put simply, Miss Granger had stated rather offhandedly that she was going to  _ establish her career _ before reproducing. Apparently, the Ministry in particular has had a rather draconian approach to maternity leave.

Didn't Thoros ever wonder at the fact that the vast majority of women who occupied positions of power were single and/or childless?

No, Thoros had not made that connection.

It seemed that he was going to have to wait far longer for Theodore's progeny than anticipated

This was not to be borne.

-~-

There were two engagement parties. The one for Miss Granger's realtives and a small number of Theodore's acquaintances (those who could be trusted to avoid complete buffoonery in front of the muggles) was perfectly adequate.

Though, the disparagy in social class between her extended family was awkwardly apparent in the disapproving looks that Mr Granger's family cast towards those whose familial ties were to Mrs Granger.

Mr Granger did an admirable job of shielding his wife from said looks. It was something the youngest Malfoys commented on in his hearing.

The second engagement party was held at the home of the Weasley's and was somewhat awkward for its own reasons.

Mrs Granger and Mrs Weasley had made wonderful use of his galleons to transform the Burrows grounds into a whimsical ethereal wonderland. The entire ambiance, from the decor to the music to the scents wafting around the various spaces, was simply divine. Theodore and Miss Granger eschewed tradition here by having a more casual experience and allowed guests to choose their own tables which would grow and shrink depending on the number of diners.

Thoros had decided to use the event to get an understanding of how many other witches were going to choose to delay parenthood because of inadequate protections regarding parental leave.

Mrs Weasley had inadvertantly become a source of fascinating insights.

After some time, Thoros began to take great delight in watching Lucius and Draco Malfoy speak innocuously to Mr Granger. Mr Granger had struck up a conversation at one of the strategically located bars dotted around the garden. The elder Malfoy appeared to be completely unaware of his conversation partner's heritage.

'And how do you find the champagne, sirs' Mr Granger asked as Lucius took a sip.

'It is very good,' Draco answered. Like Thoros, Draco was also watching his father with a great deal of interest.

'Well, now, it is indeed very good,' Lucius replied, 'I wouldn't have expected to find it here.'

'At the Weasley's?' Mr Granger laughed, 'Arthur is a dear man, to be sure, but he has a rather limited palate for the tastier of imbibes.

'No, you are drinking one from my own cellar,' Mr Granger lowered his voice, 'I had been saving it for a special occasion, and my wife allowed me the indulgence of arranging the supply for this particular corner of the event. A place for those with discerning tastes.'

Mr Granger gave Lucius and young Draco a conspiratorial look, 'If you wish to enjoy further delights of the vino-variety, you may join me at my table. I've organised a wine pairing for each of the courses at supper.'

Lucius looked intrigued and then frowned, 'Are you a friend of the groom, then, you seem to know my son though you do not look familiar.'

Young Master Malfoy covered a snort with a cough and Mr Granger smirked a little.

'I daren't believe that young Theo views me as a friend, I fear I intimidate him all too much,' a sigh, 'oh well, I can only hope that he will eventually see me as a member of the family. No, I am much friendlier with the eldest Nott.'

At that Thoros decided to step in.

'Ah, Lucius,' he greeted, 'and young Draco, I trust you well this evening?'

Draco smirked and nodded. 

'Mr Granger, my good man,' Thoros continued, 'I see that you've met Lucius Malfoy - he and I were once business associates. Lucius, what do you think of this excellent wine that the father of the bride has procured.'

Lucius Malfoy seemed to have temporarily lost control of his face as his gaze shot between Thoros and Mr Granger with a look one usually associated with constipation.

At that moment, Miss Granger came up, pulling a smirking Theodore with her. She kissed her father's cheek.

'Daddy, Mr Nott, Mr Malfoy, Draco,' she began, 'Supper will be served shortly, so, you should take your seats soon.'

The dear girl had impeccable timing.

Mr Nott straightened and looked at Lucius and Mr Granger with no small amount of glee.

'Thank you Miss Granger,' he smiled, 'Your father has just invited the Malfoys and I to his table with a bribe of superior beverages.'

The girl rolled her eyes and addressed her father, 'Daddy, can you make sure some of it makes it over to me and Theo too, please?'

Mr Granger kissed her hair and promised he would.

Mr Granger lead the three men to a table with only a few other people saying, 'I hope you don't mind, but I have invited a few others who share our discerning taste in wine.'

Thoros almost laughed when he saw the occupants as he assisted young Draco in herding the elder Malfoy forward.

At the table was one Mrs Longbottom (always to be depended on to exercise a truly superior gift for the cutting remark), Digby Abbott (the eccentric bachelor great uncle of Mrs Longbottom's probable future granddaughter-in-law) and Garvin Ollivander (the mysterious younger son of the wandmaker, whose search for rare wand components had taken him far and wide).

Mr Granger had managed to bring together the more interesting members of the Sacred 28 in attendance. While Lucius Malfoy gaped at the table.

'Sit down, Malfoy, you ridiculous peacock,' demanded Mrs Longbottom, 'Don't let your pretensious excuse for a personality get in the way of enjoying a good wine.'

_ Merlin _ , Thoros thought,  _ this meal is going to be a joy remembered for years to come. _

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you very much for the comments and love!  
> I do hope you enjoyed this update!


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